Electrical apparatus for producing and collecting gases



Sept` 4, 1923.

J. M. ALLEN ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND COLLECTING GASES Filed Feb. 27

Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

UNITED STATES.`

APArl-:Nr OFFICE. i

JAMES M. ALLEN, OE sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGIIOE OE oNE-HALErrO GEORGE MERTENS, OE sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI. V

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR P RonUcING AND COLLECTING GASES.

Application filed February 27,1922. Serial No. 539,389.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JAMES M. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of St. Louis and State of'Missouri, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Electrical Apparatus for Production and Collecting Gases, of which the following is a specification, containing a full, clear, and eXact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in electrical apparatus for producing and collecting gases, and has for its primary object a device which is equipped with electrodes and hoods for breaking up and collecting gases from liquids by electrolysis.

A further object is to construct a device` for producing gases byelectrolysis and collecting the same in hoods located over the electrodes. 4The -hoods being so arranged that the gases may be conducted wherever desired.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my device.

Fig. 2 a vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1*.

Fig. 3 a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. i a vertical cross section of one of the nozzles made use of whenhit is desired to pipe the gases.

In the construction of my device I employ a jar 6 which is open at its top. Its bottom 7 being provided with upwardly projecting ribs S, which ribs serve as a support for the electrodes. The electrodes are preferably composed of a plurality of grids 9, which grids are secured in a crows foot 10. This crows foot being equipped with a binding post 11. yThe binding post is provided with an opening 11 into which an electric conductor is adapted to be insel-ted and secured therein by means of a screw 13. Surrounding the upper portion of each of the electrodes is a hood 14:, which is provided with hooks 15. These hooks are adapted to hook over the upper edge of the jar 6 and support the hoods. The hoods are held together along their inner faces by means of rivets or similar fastening means 16. These rivets are surrounded by Sleeves 1T so as to prevent the hoods from contacting with each other. The top of the hoods are curved laterally and inclined upward toward. the enter longitudinally Where it* .terminates inea screw threaded cylindrical portion 18. This acts as an outlet for the gases which accumulates under the hoods. The upper portion .ofthe outlet 18 is screw Ithreaded as at `19 to receive the screwy threaded portion 20 of the nozzle21.- This nozzle is providedwith corrugationsso asy to receivearubber hose. The hoods 14' are each equipped with an integral screw threaded projection 22 through which the binding post 11 extends, and over this screw threaded projection is secured a packing nut 23 which secures the packing 24 tightlyAv around the bindingpost and pre'- vents the escape of any gas. Iny practice `my device islilled-with liquid sufficiently to cover both the grids and also the crows foot. It is essential, 'of course, in operating `my device that a direct current be employed.

Where :the only current availableis alternating, it is necessary to pass the current through a rectifier Such as is used for charging storage batteries.

rl`he operation of my device is as follows:

After the device has been assembled as shown. in the drawings, a liquid is poured into the jar. In case this liquid is ordinaryl water, only oxygen and hydrogen will be given olf during its Operation. The wires are attached to the positive and negative posts as indicated in Fig. 1, and the current turned on. In the event that oxygen only is desired, a nozzle is put on the negative hood and a hose attached thereto andthe hydrogen conveyedaway, while the oxygen is allowed to escape into the room. This oxygen may be permitted to escape directly from the hood, or it may be medicated by passing it through a liquid, or it may be dried by passing it through lime or other moisture absorbing material.

I may by using various chemicals produce various gasses. I may also without delparting from the spirit of my invention lil the grid with a paste Similar to storage battery plates, or I may use solid plates for the electrodes.

While I have shown the jar and hoods constructed of glass, I do not desire to limit myself to the materials out of which these parts are constructed as it is obvious that other materials may be used and the same purpose achieved.

The only important feature being that neither the jar nor the hood is of a material which acts as an electric conductor;

My object in extending the hoods down- Ward so as to embrace or encircle the upper portion of the electrodes, is to prevent any intermingling of the gases.

My device is especially useful in sickrooms and in rooms Where large gatherings ot people congregate, as the air can be puriiied and supplied With tree oxygen, or the air can he supplied with a disinfectant.

Having i'ully described my invention, what I claim is:

l. An electrical apparatus for producing and collecting gases, comprising a jar, electrodes located in said jar, a liquid in said jar, hoods suspended in said jar7 said hoods extending over `and surrounding the upper portion of said electrodes and extending into said liquid. A

2. An electrical apparatus tor producing and collecting gases, comprising` a jar, a liquid located in said jar, electrodes composed ot a plurality or' grids located in said liquid, a hood extending over and surrounding the upper portion of each of said electrodes suspended in said ar, and extending into said liquid, and an outlet toi-ined integral With each of said hoods.

8. An electrical apparatus for producing and collecting gases, comprising a jar, a,

jar, a hood extending over and surrounding the upperportion of each of said electrodes suspended in said and extending into said .liquid said hoods also serving as a support for said Ielectrodes, an outlet termed integral with each lot said hoods.

5. An electrical apparatus for producing and collecting gases comprising a jar, a pair ot hoods secured together in spaced apart position, a. liquid in said jar, hooks secured to said hoods for suspending the same Within the jar and liquid, electrodes carried by each hood and extending beyond the lower edge thereof, means carried by the hoods for securing the electrodes thereto and an outlet formed integral with the top of each hood.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES M. ALLEN. 

